From Bhupen Goswami
GUWAHATI: Seven more people have been arrested in Assam for leaking police recruitment question papers. After the arrest of seven people, the total number of arrest accused has increased to twenty. Here the former DIG and BJP leader, the main accused in the paper leak, are still out of the hold. DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahant has declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh each on the two absconding accused. Chief Minister Sarbadanand Sonowal has re-constituted the state level Police Recruitment Board in this case. This board will now re-conduct the recruitment of police recruitment canceled on 20 September.
The DGP said that those involved in leaking examination question papers for recruitment of sub-inspectors will be arrested irrespective of any political party or any post. The Police Chief further said , ‘We are looking at arresting former DIG PK Dutta and Diban Deka. They are absconding. To catch them, we have declared a reward of one lakh rupees over the two.Regarding the two main accused, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Gyanendra Pratap Singh said, “We have issued a lookout notice against Dutta so that he cannot leave the country.” All related information about them has been released. Singh said a separate case will be registered against his unaccounted assets. He said that Dutta has four luxury hotels and several residential properties in Guwahati, 1600 bighas of land in Cachar district, Dibrugarh and apartments in other parts of the country.The question paper for the written examination of 597 posts of sub-inspectors in Assam Police was leaked on 20 September and was canceled within minutes of the commencement of the examination. Around 66,000 candidates appeared for the exam at 154 centers across the state.
However, the general public and some candidates have alleged that many BJP and RSS leaders, some MLAs, including high-level police officers, are involved in the scam. But the government has remained silent on this charge.The opposition party in the state said that a senior leader of the BJP was involved in the Assam Police recruitment exam paper leak scam. He claimed that the RSS is behind this. The Congress also alleged that the RSS is planning to get its cadre to enter the state police force while the All Assam Students Union (AASU) demonstrated in the state and burnt effigy of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Ripun Bora said how can the police department’s investigation against the police be impartial? In connection with the scam, the name of National Executive Member of BJP Kisan Morcha Diban Deka has been revealed. We demand a fair probe from the CBI.
